DVC Help Please ?

[cliveywolves]

We have looked at this a few times and I'm not sure if we are just keen to secure a little bit of Disney more than actually buying into what is a timeshare but dressed up slightly differently. Spoke to a few people while out in Florida last week and even the Disney DVC guy who was pretty honest with us he said unless you spend around $1850 (£1200) on your Disney Resort accommodation per year it may not be for you, as after your initial outlay that is the break even point he claims?.

Considering we are happy with certain Value and Moderate resorts we also don't use the free dining plans as we like to have choice where and when we eat but we have never spent £1200 on resort costs even when we stated in a Moderate. We've been to DW 6 times in the past 8 years and always stayed on site but still not sure this would work for us. ???

I can see us going to Disney as many times in the next 8 years so any advise on whether or not this may work for us would be great thanks..?

 

[pmaurer74]

This is tough. There are others on here that can help you out with the technical details. For us, we stay deluxe 90% of the time. I got tired about waiting for pin codes and deals to come out that used to be frequent and good deals. Even this year after getting an annual pass, the deal were difficult to come by. I have seen the pricing at Disney go up and up. Here is why we bought:
- I wanted to ensure that we would be able to go to Disney for years to come.
- I wanted to take other people with us who would be unable to go
- I wanted to give my children honeymoons
- I am hoping to someday take grand children

I have heard the break-even time frame is 7 years. Many people's DVC has retained their values over the years. Our will likely decrease in value after awhile unless we have the chance to extend the contract.

I love Disney and the Wilderness Lodge and wanted to feel part of the magic. Good luck in your decision.

 

[DVC Mike]

I would suggest the following threads here on the DISboards:

• A Comprehensive Introduction to DVC - Perhaps you have wondered whether buying into Disney Vacation Club is actually a good idea for your family. We can't give a definitive answer to that question that fits everyone, but we can supply you with the information you'll need to make an informed decision.

• Does buying DVC make sense? - Since most people consider purchasing DVC a large investment, time should be spent before making such a big decision evaluating the pros and cons, the costs and benefits. The initial cost of joining DVC is significant. So, is it worth it?

• Should I buy direct from DVC or buy resale? - Most people who first hear about DVC hear directly from Disney, and may not even be aware that there is an active resale market where DVC contracts may be purchased - just like you can purchase a new or used home.

 

[DVC Mike]

Considering we are happy with certain Value and Moderate resorts

If you enjoy the value resorts, be aware that DVC will cost you much more than the cost of staying in a value resort.

 

[cliveywolves]

We do enjoy value and mods but as our family gets older I'm thinking mods and deluxe will appeal more and more.. I wouldn't expect a value for a deluxe but if over a few years it starts to reduce my spends that's my interest and questions I guess now..

 

[jnjhuddle]

If you buy dvc at retail price direct from Disney and normally stay at a value/moderate resort than I would agree it would be hard to justify purchasing. We usually love staying in PORS but have stayed at all moderates, plus Pop and AoA (family suites), and occasional deluxe. We decided to start very small with DVC via resale. We just bought our first small (50 point) OKW contract this year and now look at it as why the heck didn't we buy sooner?? Our 50 point OKW contract buy in was $3550 plus closing costs. (Another $450). That's it. Less than what we would spend on one vacation. (Room+food+tickets, etc). I know other people don't really justify it that way, but we were able to easily pay cash for that contract and now for ~$300/year (current Maintenance fees) we get 5 nights in a studio at OKW during times we would normally vacation, an AP discount (if we decide to buy them), 10-15% discount in many shops in restaurants and a guaranteed stay in disney every year. You could not get 5 nights in a value at that price. And IF (ha) we decided we didn't want to use them, could rent them for the year and this would more than pay our fees for the year.

The biggest thing,IMO, to be aware of is the Addonitis disease. It is highly contagious and I have already caught it!!!

We never even stepped foot on OKW before buying. Hubby and I had our first stay there this month and we are in love!! We absolutely love the laid back vibe there!!!

 

[crisi]

If your MAIN reason for buying DVC is to save money, its good to take a really good look at whether it is for you. DVC has a special way of helping Disney take more money out of your pocket, without you even noticing it. Your room has been magically paid for by an up front cost and dues that are distant memories when your trip happens, and suddenly, Cirque sounds great,or an fireworks cruise, or bringing friends. That doesn't mean people are unhappy, but it can mean you find more of your discretionary dollar being given to the Mouse than if you'd never drank the kool-aid.

On the other hand, if your main reason for owning DVC is that you'll be taking frequent trips to Disney, you want the kids in a separate room (for lots of us, that is the real benefit of DVC. If I wanted the kids in the room with us, I'd just book a hotel room), you want a way to be able to bring guests, you want to be able to walk into Epcot without spending Beach Club rates - DVC might be a good choice.

 

[Drewski77]

We do enjoy value and mods but as our family gets older I'm thinking mods and deluxe will appeal more and more.. I wouldn't expect a value for a deluxe but if over a few years it starts to reduce my spends that's my interest and questions I guess now..

I think DVC really makes the most sense only when you stay in deluxe accommodations. If you are happy with value or mods for now, then just wait until you find that you are not happy with value or mods, but maybe that won't ever change.

If and when you do buy, you'll definitely want to look at resale as that will help with the cost significantly on most resorts. There are non-financial benefits to DVC, but only you can figure out the value that holds, but again, if you are happy with value and moderate accommodations DVC might not be for you at this point.

 

[disneynutz]

DVC can save you money if you currently stay at deluxe resorts and you vacation at WDW at least once per year. If you like other resorts or vacation every couple of years or more, DVC isn't a cost saver.

Bill

 

[suebeelin]

One more factor to consider-- if you ever decide to resell your dvc, and your dvc retains most or all of the value of the initial purchase, then you are only out the cost of your maintenance fees.

For us, that means a studio ranges from $70- 200 per night, depending on the season and resort (based on our maintenance fees).

Of course, you're assuming that you retain much or all of the value of your dvc (which could be the case if you buy resale- but it's still a risk).

Good luck!

We bought bc we prefer deluxe accommodations and transportation ease was very important to us. We did not make a mistake as our current contracts are worth more than we paid for it. Whether that will still be the case in 10yrs when we are ready to part with our dvc remains to be seen. Regardless, we feel good about our dvc purchased via resale.

 

[wench]

People always talk about the break even point, but I don't look at it the same way. I track what my hotel would've cost me if I'd had to pay for it. And if I could've gotten a special rate during that time, I'll use that. I also add up any money I save on merchandise purchases or dining because of DVC, that I wouldn't have saved otherwise. Then I compare that to every penny I've paid into my DVC membership. To date, I have yet to slip into the red. I'm also able to take longer vacations more frequently & stay in nicer resorts than I probably could've afforded out of pocket.

 

[Dean]

We have looked at this a few times and I'm not sure if we are just keen to secure a little bit of Disney more than actually buying into what is a timeshare but dressed up slightly differently. Spoke to a few people while out in Florida last week and even the Disney DVC guy who was pretty honest with us he said unless you spend around $1850 (£1200) on your Disney Resort accommodation per year it may not be for you, as after your initial outlay that is the break even point he claims?.

Considering we are happy with certain Value and Moderate resorts we also don't use the free dining plans as we like to have choice where and when we eat but we have never spent £1200 on resort costs even when we stated in a Moderate. We've been to DW 6 times in the past 8 years and always stayed on site but still not sure this would work for us. ???

I can see us going to Disney as many times in the next 8 years so any advise on whether or not this may work for us would be great thanks..?

Personal preferences likely end up making the difference here. If you prefer value's and moderate's, DVC likely isn't the best choice. But depending on when you go and what type of discounts you normally can find, it might still be worth considering. I'd look at buying SSR resale and compare studios to a single value and moderate hotel room cost. I think you'll find that it comes in around the price of the moderate, possibly cheaper at times. IMO that assumes you'd pay cash up front, go at least every other year, buy resale on the cheaper side, are stable financially to cover dues over time, include the Time Value of Money/Opportunity costs, use only for DVC reservations and plan at least 7 months out.

A rough looks suggests you need to average around $15 a point in today's dollars to make this reasonable. I got that by looking at the TMV, current dues and return of principle over 10 yrs (what I use for DVC because I consider it a high risk long term option). That means your cash costs need to be around $200-210 per night AFTER taxes to break even looking at using resale SSR points for OKW, the cheapest normal option for studios. You pick up the better accommodations and amenities of the studio and resort but also the risks and aggravation of a long term timeshare commitment. You also don't have to worry about discounts going forward. That should put you above a value and in line with a moderate, looking at summer rates at Pop and Riverside and using a 30% discount I get around $150 & $175 as a comparison rate for cash but DVC in the formula I used will be somewhere in the $230 a night range averaging a full week. The other portion is that other than OKW, studios are a queen and pullout and will only reasonably sleep 4 and there are no connecting studios that will provide value (only Poly has them at WDW). If you need more than one room then compare to a 2 BR.

 

[Deb & Bill]

If you want real beds to sleep in and have four or more people, you will always need a dedicated two bedroom villa or an OKW villa. Otherwise, every other one bedroom has one king bed and a queen sleeper sofa and maybe a twin sleeper chair or murphy bed (None of these three are real beds). If you have kids go along, kids can sleep on anything in my book. Our son always gets the sleeper sofa/chair.